Club uses sailing to help hospital patients recover

We all know how enjoyable a day of boating can be, and that’s especially so for someone suffering a disability, from a stroke, for example. So the smiles and laughter were not surprising Friday among patients from the Helen Hayes Hospital in Nyack, N.Y., who were treated to an introduction to sailing at the Nyack Boat Club.

“Wow,” was the enthusiastic reaction of Ken Albrecht of Tenafly, and typical of the 32 participants who signed up for the annual outing on the Hudson River. Albrecht walks with a cane and has trouble speaking, but he said he had no trouble aboard one of the 23-foot Sonars used for the event.

Joseph Greenhouse traveled up from Marlboro for the event. When asked about his experience, he beamed and tapped his chest with pleasure.

Brian Bergen of Bloomingdale sailed as a youngster, and appreciated the chance to get back in a boat. He is recovering from a brain injury from a fall. “It’s peaceful and gives you a chance to focus on tasks,” he said. “Getting out and about is what it’s all about,” he said.

The program is in its seventh year, said Jan Crittenden of Haverstraw, N.Y. She coordinated the efforts of some 45 volunteers at the club, who worked with therapists from the hospital to help participants in and out of the boats.

A SPECIAL DAY

Shore Dreams for Kids, an annual event run by the New Jersey Performance Powerboat Club, will be held July 14 at Seaside Heights. During the event, special needs children and adults are treated to a carnival and other shoreside events.

“Most important, we give them boat rides,” said Dave Patnaude, NJPPC president. Rides are aboard an armada of go-fast boats with volunteer skippers.

To help make it all happen, the club is hosting a fundraiser “Casino Night” Friday, June 8, from 7 to 11 p.m. at Crystal Point Yacht Club in Point Pleasant Beach. Check shoredreamsforkids.org, and the boat club at njppc.com. Some 800 participants and some 30 boats typically take part, Patnaude said.

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Rick Doerr of Clifton credited a pre-race practice session for his victory in the Tappan Zee Challenge for Sonars Saturday and Sunday at the Nyack Boat Club on the Hudson River. Doerr, sailing with crew Justin Copeland of Nyack, Bjarki Gunnarson of Alpine, and Dani Powers of New York City, beat 18 other crews.

Mario Gedzior and daughter Ola of Randolph stood up to strong winds in their Flying Scot Sunday to win the annual Challenge of the Lakes at the Hunterdon Sailing Club on Spruce Run reservoir. New Jersey crews race against crews from the Nockamixon Sailing Club in Pennsylvania in the annual event, now in its 10th year.

LEARN TO ROW

Rowing groups, including the Nereid Boat Club in Rutherford and the Passaic River Rowing Association (prra.org) in Lyndhurst, want to introduce newcomers to the sport on “Learn to Row Day,” Saturday, June 2. Nereid (nereidbc.org) activities are 9 a.m. to noon, and visitors can try rowing machines and “take a spin” on a boat. At PRRA visitors can try rowing machines from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The PRRA boathouse is at Riverside County Park in Lyndhurst and Nereid is at 350 Riverside Ave., Rutherford.

PADDLE THE RESERVOIR

The Hackensack Riverkeeper and United Water are hosting the fourth annual Reservoir Challenge, a day of racing and touring on the Oradell Reservoir in Haworth, Saturday, June 2, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Bring your own kayak or canoe, or rent one for $25. Entry fee for paddlers is $25. Check hackensackriverkeeper.org. to register.